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Divernan

(15,480 posts)
42. "Imprecision" is Obama-speak for lie.
Sat Aug 10, 2013, 02:01 PM
Aug 2013
In his remarks, Obama said the White House was having to respond to a "changed environment" where disclosures being released "drip by drip, you know, one a week, to kind of maximise attention, and see if they can catch us on some imprecision on something".

Democratic senator Ron Wyden, a leading critic of the NSA's bulk surveillance powers in the Senate, welcomed Obama's proposals, but called for greater detail. "Notably absent from President Obama's speech was any mention of closing the backdoor searches loophole that potentially allows for the warrantless searches of Americans' phone calls and emails under section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act," Wyden said.

The senator was referring to a disclosure in the Guardian based on a top-secret document which indicates the NSA has a secret backdoor into its databases under a legal authority enabling it to search for US citizens' email and phone calls without a warrant.

The document, published on Friday three hours before Obama's announcement, contrasts with assurances that president and senior intelligence officials have previously given that the privacy of US citizens is protected from dragnet surveillance programs targeted at foreigners. "I believe that this provision requires significant reforms as well and I will continue to fight to close that loophole," Wyden said.


I found Obama's use of the term "imprecision" to be particularly offensive. Obama is a combination of what the Brits would call a slyboots and an artful dodger:
Slyboots (noun - UK old-fashioned informal)
Definition: a person who avoids showing or telling other people what he or she is thinking or intending.
The nickname "Artful Dodger" is still commonly used to refer to someone who is good at avoiding responsibility or the consequences of his or her actions.
Prior to creating the character, the Artful Dodger in Oliver Twist, Dickens had first used a similar term in his previous novel, The Pickwick Papers. At the close of Chapter 16, Sam Weller refers to the recent schemes of Mr. Jingle: "Reg'lar do, sir; artful dodge."

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/09/obama-nsa-surveillance-reforms-press-conference#start-of-comments
Well, Winston Smith came to love Big Brother. zeemike Aug 2013 #1
Great - more tax money spent on millions of rat cages lame54 Aug 2013 #17
Yeah but... whttevrr Aug 2013 #52
Yes but he was a hard case. zeemike Aug 2013 #56
too true whttevrr Aug 2013 #61
on another thread someone said they didn't care if he makes us 'safe' roguevalley Aug 2013 #63
Frankly I think it is a certainty that a rethug will get in there. zeemike Aug 2013 #64
he did and some DUers are still fighting the Cold War now Swagman Aug 2013 #86
I see another 'cat food commission' or '9/11 commission' arising from snappyturtle Aug 2013 #2
Excellent! We can just wait for the book leftstreet Aug 2013 #7
Yes, that is what this was about, imo. They realized they had not succeeded in tamping sabrina 1 Aug 2013 #78
The phony "terra alert" at the embassies stopped momentum, changed the conversation, & bought time chimpymustgo Aug 2013 #91
I already was comfortable. eom millennialmax Aug 2013 #3
He obviously has no choice in the matter. Those pulling his strings are calling the shots, NorthCarolina Aug 2013 #4
Sadly, I agree. It aint Obama's fault, he is just a figurehead. nm rhett o rick Aug 2013 #74
Sorry, he's going to fail miserably on that. Autumn Aug 2013 #5
I agree and don't feel comforted at all about the suggestions of snappyturtle Aug 2013 #21
One can almost guarantee we will not get what we need. Autumn Aug 2013 #25
More transparency, less secrecy. And you are STILL dissatisifed. randome Aug 2013 #6
It is the scope of the surveillance that is the problem n/t markpkessinger Aug 2013 #9
Yes, 1.6% of the Internet is too much. randome Aug 2013 #12
That is a laughable statistic . . . markpkessinger Aug 2013 #16
It's only 'laughable' if you choose to always see the worst in everything. randome Aug 2013 #19
"Globally, roughly 99 percent of the world's communications travel over undersea fiber-optic cables" whttevrr Aug 2013 #53
So what? The NSA is prohibited from 'scooping up' Americans' Internet usage. randome Aug 2013 #57
It's the math I have issues with. whttevrr Aug 2013 #60
1.6% of something wrong is still wrong! Besides, that's how it starts now, 10 years from now it Dustlawyer Aug 2013 #90
Well, YES!!!! MNBrewer Aug 2013 #11
"Talk" about more transparency and less secrecy pscot Aug 2013 #23
How would you ever know that anything is being done? randome Aug 2013 #38
Where is this "More transparency, less secrecy" ? Only talking points currently, and small changes Civilization2 Aug 2013 #89
Here's a better analysis of the President's proposals ProSense Aug 2013 #8
References To The EFF - Would Not Have Happened Without Snowden's Leaks - This Made My day cantbeserious Aug 2013 #20
+10000 nt riderinthestorm Aug 2013 #65
applies to a lot of things Enrique Aug 2013 #10
Some No Longer Trust His Words - His Transparency Is Opaque Doublespeak To Protect Illegal Acts cantbeserious Aug 2013 #13
Bingo! nt snappyturtle Aug 2013 #22
"Imprecision" is Obama-speak for lie. Divernan Aug 2013 #42
The question, Mr. President, is how to make gov't responsive to the American people again! Coyotl Aug 2013 #14
The Question Is: Defend and Protect the Constitution! Demeter Aug 2013 #66
Obama's version of relax and enjoy it. forestpath Aug 2013 #15
My first thought. nt HooptieWagon Aug 2013 #27
Wow. Scary. dkf Aug 2013 #33
We're never going to get comfortable with giving away our Constitutional rights. Waiting For Everyman Aug 2013 #18
ABSOLUTELY. Th1onein Aug 2013 #39
yes that's a key point limpyhobbler Aug 2013 #70
We have good reasons for not liking this program. JDPriestly Aug 2013 #24
chilling effect - yes limpyhobbler Aug 2013 #71
Don't be Fooled pmorlan1 Aug 2013 #26
It's sad that limpyhobbler Aug 2013 #72
I wouldn't beat him over the head for doing the right thing bhikkhu Aug 2013 #28
Is it a good step, or is it one step forward and two steps backward? totodeinhere Aug 2013 #35
Then why is Snowden being persecuted? AppleBottom Aug 2013 #37
For gaining a security clearance, stealing mountains of classified data bhikkhu Aug 2013 #47
Crimes against the American people and violations to the Constitution have NO business AppleBottom Aug 2013 #49
Letting the courts decide is still a far better course in the long run bhikkhu Aug 2013 #50
Maybe the things Snowden knows about Secret Laws and secret courts AppleBottom Aug 2013 #55
I think you are too quick to give him credit for something he should have done 5 years ago. rhett o rick Aug 2013 #75
It's good to know you won't beat on his head jberryhill Aug 2013 #80
When it comes to domestic surveillance, I'm an abolishionist Jack Rabbit Aug 2013 #29
I agree with you, Jack Rabbit. Th1onein Aug 2013 #40
"these programs must be dismantled." woo me with science Aug 2013 #45
We're already not supposed to be having it... limpyhobbler Aug 2013 #77
Mass induced Stockholm syndrome AppleBottom Aug 2013 #30
This message was self-deleted by its author damnedifIknow Aug 2013 #31
My overriding concern, Mr. President, is that you don't believe me wtmusic Aug 2013 #32
"The question is, how do I make the American people more comfortable?" Obama said. blackspade Aug 2013 #34
His reassurances do nothing for me without woo me with science Aug 2013 #44
Completely agree blackspade Aug 2013 #51
Oddly if he supported legalized marijuana, we might be more comfortable. nm rhett o rick Aug 2013 #76
Indeed. blackspade Aug 2013 #81
THE MEDIA INSISTS ON MAKING YOU PARANOID. pansypoo53219 Aug 2013 #36
I will NEVER "get comfortable"... 99Forever Aug 2013 #41
Turd polished NoOneMan Aug 2013 #43
K&R It. Must. Stop. woo me with science Aug 2013 #46
K & R historylovr Aug 2013 #48
This message was self-deleted by its author Warren DeMontague Aug 2013 #54
K & R !!! WillyT Aug 2013 #58
good comments, limpy grasswire Aug 2013 #59
thanks, glad you agree limpyhobbler Aug 2013 #69
And just what's so bad about feeling good? This approach has always been used for war Douglas Carpenter Aug 2013 #62
A friend from Germany called me tonight Mira Aug 2013 #67
par for the course: if McCain tied up the American people with a bow and delivered them to Big MisterP Aug 2013 #68
The President either embraces the authoritarian spying on Americans or he has been rhett o rick Aug 2013 #73
Now imagine a repuke POTUS in control of the NSA. Does the idea of that upset you? L0oniX Aug 2013 #79
No worries, it's all good. jsr Aug 2013 #82
It's part of the conditioning. nt silvershadow Aug 2013 #83
The only thing that would make me comfortable is to stop these programs. BlueCheese Aug 2013 #84
BAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWW, I knew they were into the mind reading thing nolabels Aug 2013 #85
redesign NSA O.K. polynomial Aug 2013 #87
We could unilaterally disarm after we dump the spying, Progressive dog Aug 2013 #88
I guess most of us are OK with some spying but are against mass surveillance. limpyhobbler Aug 2013 #93
There has been no mass surveillance. Progressive dog Aug 2013 #94
"War is Peace." woo me with science Aug 2013 #95
I'm not surprised you think so. nt Progressive dog Aug 2013 #98
Did you see the Verizon FISA warrant ? limpyhobbler Aug 2013 #96
It is storage of phone records to prevent their destruction. Progressive dog Aug 2013 #97
Why shouldn't they be destroyed? Why should the government collect Verizon customers' phone logs? limpyhobbler Aug 2013 #99
Why should they be destroyed, how does their Progressive dog Aug 2013 #101
or they could use them to bust weed dealers and disrupt political protests limpyhobbler Aug 2013 #103
1984.... MrMickeysMom Aug 2013 #92
K&R! Puzzledtraveller Aug 2013 #100
And if you find the buzz of drones overhead unnerving, silent propellers will be fitted kenny blankenship Aug 2013 #102
You Never Had any Privacy on the Internet Anyways usGovOwesUs3Trillion Aug 2013 #104
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